The Surgeon Venturing into Fields Where "We Lag Far Behind": Twice Performing Unprecedented Surgeries in Vietnam
Rather than choosing maxillofacial esthetics—a highly lucrative field—Assoc. Prof. Chon dedicated himself to complex therapeutic surgery, driven by the desire to bring advanced medical technologies and techniques from developed countries to Vietnamese patients.
When mentioning Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon, MD, PhD—Head of the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Odonto-Stomatology at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City (UMC)—colleagues and patients immediately think of a dedicated and visionary mentor. He has relentlessly explored and adopted global cutting-edge techniques, repeatedly leaving a milestone by performing unprecedented surgical procedures for patients in Vietnam.
Ngoc Minh: I often hear peers in the medical community say that maxillofacial surgery is a trendy field that brings in substantial income. Is that true?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: Maxillofacial surgery encompasses esthetic plastic surgery, including orthognathic surgery and facial contouring, which is indeed a booming specialty in Vietnam. An experienced, highly skilled surgeon performing these procedures regularly can earn a significant income.
However, while I have performed many such surgeries, I choose not to concentrate heavily on them. My chosen path is therapeutic surgery to treat underlying pathologies. This is an area where Vietnam still needs substantial improvement to catch up with international advancements, ensuring local patients have access to standard-of-care treatments.
In particular, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery remains my deep concern; I constantly strive to access technologies and surgical approaches comparable to those in the United States. It is a demanding subspecialty, and for the rest of my career, I want to dedicate my efforts to mastering it for the benefit of our patients.
Ngoc Minh: Why plunge into a path you know is full of obstacles?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: Maxillofacial surgeons in Vietnam today are remarkably skilled and perform exceptionally well. However, in treating complex pathologies, we still have much to learn from international medicine. Because we lag behind, patients bear the disadvantage. That is why I am devoting my remaining clinical career to therapeutic and reconstructive surgery.
Ngoc Minh: I understand that you were among the few surgeons who performed the first bilateral total temporomandibular joint replacement in Vietnam?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: That is correct; I performed it alongside my colleague. I still vividly recall the case: a patient who sustained severe trauma that led to temporomandibular joint ankylosis, leaving him completely unable to open his mouth. For years, he could only consume liquids and pureed food.
He had undergone multiple surgeries previously, but the joint repeatedly re-ankylosed, causing him severe psychological distress regarding further interventions, while his quality of life plummeted due to complete trismus.
I kept agonizing over how we could help him. Around that time, my colleague and I received overseas training in alloplastic total TMJ replacement and believed we could apply it to this case.
However, learning the technique is one thing; performing it for the first time is another, and I was understandably anxious. My concern was not that we lacked the capability, but rather whether the postoperative functional outcome would meet expectations. Custom TMJ prostheses are extremely costly; if it failed, it would place an immense financial burden on the patient.
We meticulously refined every step of the technique to execute this bilateral TMJ reconstruction. It became the very first bilateral total artificial TMJ replacement performed in Vietnam.
Following the operation, the patient was able to open his mouth immediately. To this day, no re-ankylosis has occurred, and his quality of life has dramatically improved.
Ngoc Minh: You were also the first surgeon in Vietnam to perform endoscopic-assisted open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for mandibular condylar fractures. This scientific work has become a benchmark reference for colleagues in the field.
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: Personally, I hold immense respect for the senior professors and mentors in maxillofacial surgery; I still have so much to learn from them. I merely try to pioneer areas that they and my colleagues have not yet had time to explore.
That was also the driving motivation behind my doctoral dissertation on endoscopic-assisted reduction and internal fixation of mandibular condylar fractures. I started researching and performing this procedure in 2012, with the sole hope of delivering genuine clinical benefits to patients.
Conventionally, condylar fractures required an extraoral open approach, which often left visible facial scars and posed a high risk of facial nerve injury, leading to permanent facial asymmetry or paresis. By performing an endoscopic procedure through an intraoral incision, we prevent unsightly scarring and protect the facial nerve from damage.
In 2016, I successfully defended my doctoral thesis. This landmark research marked the first time endoscopic fixation of mandibular condyle fractures was performed in Vietnam.
Subsequently, I published these findings in peer-reviewed international journals, where they were well-received by global peers. Recently, I compiled this work into a comprehensive reference monograph for specialists in the field.
I always believe that if something is within our capability, we should strive to pioneer it for our patients. Pioneers will inevitably face hardships and barriers, but by persevering, we will reach the goal. If we never start, we will never achieve anything.
Ngoc Minh: Back in the 1990s, maxillofacial surgery was quite nascent in Vietnam. What made you decide to pursue it?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: It stemmed from a childhood passion, largely inspired by my mother, who was a general surgeon. From the age of three, I followed her into the operating room. Watching my mother act as the "commander-in-chief" of surgical procedures, I always dreamed of following in her footsteps. In every school essay, my dream was always to become a doctor.
However, the socio-economic reality of the 1990s was challenging. I saw many medical graduates struggling to find jobs; many had to switch careers or retake entrance exams for other fields. I hesitated over whether I should enter medicine.
Ultimately, I decided to take the entrance exam for medicine but chose Odonto-Stomatology. I reasoned that this specialty offered independent practice opportunities—if public hospitals were not hiring, I could establish a private dental clinic. When I shared this with my mother, she was not pleased because she wanted me to become an operating surgeon.
I passed the entrance exam on my first attempt and enrolled in Odonto-Stomatology at University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. The more I studied, the more captivated I became by maxillofacial surgery. Upon graduating in 1999, I sat for the maxillofacial residency examination. That year, only three positions were open, and I was the sole candidate admitted.
Throughout that residency, I had to rotate through hospital clinical duties alone, unexpectedly becoming a "rare" student. If I recall correctly, I was only the fourth resident admitted to the maxillofacial surgery program from 1975 to 1999 at the university.
Ngoc Minh: Do you still remember your very first case as the primary surgeon?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: Absolutely. During my residency, mentors were exceptionally demanding. I assisted in surgeries day and night for an extended period before ever being allowed to operate independently.
I remember around my second year of residency, after extensive assisting experience, a senior surgeon told me: "Chon, you take the lead on this case; I will assist you." Given that opportunity, I exerted every ounce of effort to do my best. The surgery went smoothly, earning high praise from my supervising seniors.
Ngoc Minh: Some say maxillofacial surgery is less demanding than other surgical specialties and carries fewer complications. Is that accurate?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: Maxillofacial procedures may not carry the immediate intraoperative mortality rates seen in neurosurgery or cardiovascular surgery. Nevertheless, life-threatening emergencies can arise unexpectedly. I once witnessed a patient suffering severe maxillofacial trauma from an accident who succumbed before surgical intervention could be completed. Massive, torrential bleeding flooded the airway before a tracheostomy could be secured.
Witnessing that tragic case as a resident left a lasting impression. To this day, I constantly remind my trainees: bony fractures from maxillofacial trauma may not kill a patient directly, but unmanaged airway compromise and suffocation from massive hemorrhage will be fatal without immediate emergency intervention.
Ngoc Minh: I know you frequently participate in humanitarian surgical missions for children with cleft lip and palate?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: I have been involved in these programs since my residency. In truth, almost every maxillofacial surgeon contributes to these deeply meaningful missions—it is simply what we ought to do for patients.
I have had the privilege of being dedicated to this cause for nearly 25 years. Every charity mission brings unforgettable memories.
Currently, the incidence of cleft lip and palate in Vietnam is approximately 1 in 500 live births. Bringing a cleft lip and palate case back to near-normal appearance and function requires more than ten comprehensive treatment stages and multiple complex surgeries, demanding enormous commitment from both patients and clinicians. Patients undergo continuous, multidisciplinary management to attain optimal facial symmetry by adulthood.
Ngoc Minh: Rumor has it that you are very down-to-earth and approachable in person. Working alongside you must be quite comfortable?
Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon: My philosophy is straightforward: study seriously, play wholeheartedly, and work with utmost rigor. At work, I am a perfectionist, so I admit I can be strict with residents and staff. I always urge everyone to care for patients as if they were their own family members. Consequently, clinical outcomes must be as close to perfection as possible, and that is the standard I demand from my students.
Admittedly, there are times when I am quite stern with trainees. Clinical practice demands absolute precision; we must always show utmost respect to patients and lead by example.
I have heard that working with me can be stressful, but I believe healthy pressure is necessary for young doctors to progress.
At the same time, I value open feedback. When trainees point out something correct, I acknowledge it and listen. I am neither autocratic nor conservative, which keeps my students close to me. I genuinely respect trainees who have the courage to point out shortcomings so we can optimize patient outcomes. Consider this: as the primary surgeon, I have only one pair of eyes focused intently on the primary lesion; I cannot catch everything. The eyes of my trainees and surgical team members spot other issues, and if they feel I am approachable, they will alert me immediately.
Ngoc Minh: Thank you, Assoc. Prof. Ho Nguyen Thanh Chon! Wishing you good health and continued success!
Source: https://soha.vn/vi-bac-si-dan-than-vao-linh-vuc-minh-con-thua-xa-nuoc-ngoai-2-lan-chon-ca-mo-chua-ai-lam-o-viet-nam-198250226182127374.htm
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